Shane Warne had good reason to be wary when a Melbourne comedian announced he
was writing a musical based on the colourful life and times of the
Australian fast bowler.

Warne is almost as well known for his activities off the pitch – which include a text message scandal, drugs ban and messy divorce – as he is for his prowess on it.

So it was with some trepidation that he decided to sit down and watch Shane Warne: The Musical himself.

But after low-key viewing, it seems his fears were unfounded, and yesterday Warne gave the show his official seal of approval. He praised producer and star Eddie Perfect for the tone of the show.

"I think Eddie and his team have written the musical in a respectful and sympathetic way, and that they have captured my fun, larrikin (lovable rogue) side," Warne wrote in Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper.

Warne, 39, admitted steeling himself with a few beers before watching the performance from the back row.

"I am suddenly very nervous. More edgy, even, than facing Pakistani quickie Shoaib Akhtar on a green, seaming deck, I reckon," he said.

He admitted his apprehension mounted as the show approached its second half, which deals with the scandals he faced.

"There are a few more chuckles and the odd cringe – but not too many, I must admit. Then, it's over," he said.

"My life in two hours has just flashed before my eyes. Again I felt weird but, in a strange way, proud of what I'd just witnessed."

Shane Warne: The Musical is billed as a warts-and-all account of the spin bowler's controversy-laden career and roller-coaster personal life set to soul, rock, opera, gospel music – and even a bit of Bollywood.

Described as "a new breed of Aussie music theatre that smokes, drinks, carries a few extra kilos and still brings home the Ashes", the show spans Warne's adult life, on and off the pitch, from his early career failures to his recent retirement from cricket.

Songs in the show include "Dancing with the stars", a love song about Warne's early relationship with his now ex-wife Simone, "What an SMS I'm in", a composition based on his alleged infamous extramarital text messages, and "Take the Pill", a rock and roll lullaby sung by Warne's mother that refers to a scandal over diet pills.

Earlier this year, Warne had complained the writers should have sought his permission before proceeding with the concept.

He said it was the portrayal of his ex-wife and mother that worried him most, and he feared the production would be peppered with "cheap gags".